Why Build a Portfolio with Cru

Five compelling reasons to consider building a Fine Wine Portfolio with Cru:

1

Excellent historic returns - Fine wine has returned an 11% compound annual growth rate over the last 25 years.

2

Fast paced, instant trades, with live prices for buying and selling.

3

Your Account is transparent with a suite of information/tools free to use on the site.

4

Our global network provides great access to the world’s fine wine market with integrated logistics allowing clients to more easily sell their wines.

5

Access to a Private Account Manager to advise you on all aspects of managing your portfolio.

A Quick Guide to Fine Wine Investment with Cru

Fine Wine: Long-term Outperformance

Fine wine has an excellent investment track record. Over the past 25 years, fine wine has returned over 2,000% (an 11.0% compound annual growth rate). This puts it well ahead of most major asset classes.

Fine Wine Outperforms: Global Equities, Bonds and Commodities

Fine wine should be taken more seriously as an asset class. Thankfully, it is now possible for non-specialist investors to access the fine wine market.

Starting a Fine Wine Portfolio

You can start building a fine wine portfolio today. You don’t need specialist knowledge or training. You can invest as much or as little as you like.

Your account is free to set up and includes a storage facility in which to store your wine.

Our online suite of free tools will help you find investments which are suitable for you.

Buying Wines

Buying wine for investment with Cru is simple. Everything is done securely online. You can purchase investment wines by either:

•

Buying wines via our secure website and paying with each order.

•

Depositing funds into your account and using these against future purchases.

Finding Wine Investments

We have created an unrivalled platform through which to uncover opportunities to invest in and trade.

Investment Finder - Find Investments Matching your Criteria

Cru’s ‘Investment Finder’ is our exclusive tool which lets you screen the entire universe of fine wine for opportunities.

Investment Finder screens the fine wine universe by:

Price:

Sort by different price points.

Score:

Find opportunities based on critic scores.

Liquidity:

Fine Wine trading volumes are improving all the time. This field allows you to identify the wines which trade mostly frequently.

Wine Rating:

Our unique ‘Wine Rating’ scale - from AAA to B - takes into account the four main attributes associated with long-term performance: i) quality of the producer, ii) quality of the year, iii) average critic rating and iv) liquidity. It lets you choose safer or more speculative investments.

This tool analyses each wine against other wines by the same producer. It shows relative under or over-valuation.

Storing Wines

The security of your assets is of paramount importance to us. All wine stored with Cru is kept in one of three locations (you can choose which). You can see the location and status of all your wines at all times in your Account Management section.

UNITED KINGDOM - Vine International at London City Bond, London

Vine International is run by Liv-ex.com, the world’s premier fine wine exchange. Storage is in London City Bond, Tilbury, London. London City Bond has been managing fine wine for the world’s most discerning collectors since 1978.

HONG KONG - Cru Asia Logistics, Hong Kong SAR China

Cru has a bespoke fine wine facility run by a dedicated team of experts employed full-time by Cru.

SINGAPORE - Toll Brothers, Singapore

Toll is managed by specialised experts, and has been offering a world-class service for more than 125 years.

UNITED KINGDOM

HONG KONG

SINGAPORE

Price

£0.55 per month per unit (case or bottle)

HK$1.75 per month per bottle

SGD$0.35 per month per bottle

Insurance

Fully insured

Fully insured

Fully insured

Conditions

Temperature controlled

Temperature controlled

Temperature controlled

Tracking Performance of Wines

Your portfolio is valued in real time using independent marks provided by the internationally respected Liv-ex.com exchange.

Portfolio Performance

Toll is managed by specialised experts, and has been offering a world-class service for more than 125 years.

Breakdown by Wine

Graphical Analysis

Selling Wines / Realising Gains

Where a wine has gone up significantly in value we will alert you with a ‘Sell Now’ link to help you take profits. You control your portfolio and can sell wine at any time. On the Cru Wine Portfolio you are free to list wines for sale at any price you like. As they sell, you will be credited with Account Credit, which you can use either to buy more wine or to cash out.

Charges

There are no subscription fees for using the Cru Wine Portfolio. Your account is free to set up. We don’t charge commission when you buy wines. If you sell your wines through us we take a standard selling commission, which varies according to the level of assets you have.

Moving an Existing Portfolio to Cru

We encourage clients to move existing portfolios to the Cru platform. Our investment tools are only available to clients who use our storage facilities.

Investment Research

Cru’s Research Department is run by former Deutsche Bank Managing Director, and now Cru’s CEO, Dr Jeremy Howard. The aim of the research team is to help you make financial gains with your wine portfolio. We pride ourselves on high quality, investment-focused research which is designed to maximise trading gains. Our notes are focused purely on opportunities for price appreciation.

Managed Accounts

If you have a significant amount to invest in fine wine (either through an existing portfolio or via a new investment) you can be assigned a private account manager to advise you on all aspects of managing your portfolio.

How will I realise the value of my investment?

Like private equity or property, fine wine is best viewed as a patient investment. But our platform enables you to trade in and out as often as you like. Once your wine has reached your target exit price you can set it for sale at your chosen price.

When you sell wines through the platform your account is immediately credited with the net proceeds, which you can either use against future purchases or you can cash out. You will receive a cash transfer within 30 days of sale.

Is there someone to help me manage my Portfolio?

Cru retains a team of highly trained and knowledgeable fine wine account managers in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Singapore and Russia. We also travel to most of the world’s financial cities to present research and meet clients. Cru is not authorised to provide formal investment advice, but our team of advisors will help structure your portfolio optimally for long-term price appreciation.

What are the fees?

There are no subscription fees to use the Cru platform. All our personal advice and tools are free of charge, and there is no commission on purchasing wines. There is a small fee to cover the cost of storage (which we pass on at cost price), but this fee is much lower than you would pay to store other commodities, such as gold. We take a standard selling commission, which varies according to the level of assets you have.

Is investing in fine wine safe?

The security of your assets is of paramount importance to us, all wine stored with Cru is kept in secure conditions in one of our three storage facilities. You can see the location and status of all your wines at all times in your Account Management section. Cru cannot guarantee your wines will increase in value, but if you buy the best wines from the best vintages and show a little patience history suggests that you realise significant capital gains.

Are gains on wines taxable?

Cru is not authorised to offer formal tax advice. For UK investors the relevant HMRC legislation states that wine is a “chattel”, and therefore any deposal of less than £6,000 (January 2018) has no chargeable gain. Many UK investors also take advantage of the “wasting asset” exemption, where 100% of the gain is tax free if the wine is expected to last less than 50 years. But all investors should take appropriate advice from a regulated advisor on their own tax status.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

This report has been issued or approved for issue by an entity forming part of Cru (as defined below) and has been
forwarded to you solely for your information and should not be considered as an offer or solicitation of an offer to
sell, buy or subscribe to any securities or any derivative instrument or any other rights pertaining thereto (“financial
instruments”). This report is intended for use by professional or business investors only. This report may not be
reproduced without the consent of Cru.

The information and opinions expressed in this report have been compiled from sources believed to be reliable, but,
neither Cru, nor any of its directors, officers, or employees accepts liability from any loss arising from the use hereof
or makes any representations as to its accuracy and completeness. Any opinions, forecasts or estimates herein
constitute a judgement as at the date of this report. There can be no assurance that future results or events will be
consistent with any such opinions, forecasts or estimates. Past performance should not be taken as an indication
or guarantee of future performance, and no representation or warranty, express or implied is made regarding
future performance. This information is subject to change without notice, its accuracy is not guaranteed, it may
be incomplete or condensed and it may not contain all material information concerning the product or products
mentioned. Cru is not agreeing to nor is it required to update the opinions, forecasts or estimates contained herein.
The value of any products mentioned in this report can fall as well as rise. Foreign currency denominated products
are subject to fluctuations in exchange rates that may have a positive or adverse effect on the value, price or
income of such products.

This report does not have regard to the specific instrument objectives, financial situation and the particular
needs of any specific person who may receive this report. Investors should seek financial advice regarding the
appropriateness of investing in any products or investment strategies discussed in this report.
Cru (or its directors, officers or employees) may, to the extent permitted by law, own or have a position in the
products of any company or related company or products referred to herein, and may add to or dispose of any
such position or may make a market or act as a principal in any transaction in such products. Directors of Cru may
also be directors of any of the companies mentioned in this report. Cru (or its directors, officers or employees)
may, to the extent permitted by law, act upon or use the information or opinions presented herein, or research or
analysis on which they are based prior to the material being published. Cru may have issued other reports that are
inconsistent with, and reach different conclusions from, the information presented in this report. Those reports
reflect the different assumptions, views and analytical methods of the analysts who prepared them.

For the purposes of this disclaimer, “Cru” shall mean: (i) Cru London Limited; (ii) Cru Asia Limited and (iii) from time
to time, in relation to Cru London Limited and/or Cru Asia Limited, the ultimate holding company of that entity, a
subsidiary (or a subsidiary of a subsidiary) of that entity, a holding company of that entity or any other subsidiary of
that holding company, and any affiliated entity of any such entities.

Top-Tier Bordeaux Undervalued 2014s | VCC, Mouton, Haut-Bailly & More

12 Nov 2018

• Bollinger RD 2004 champagne is an excellent long-term investment opportunity.
• Bollinger RD 2004 scores 97 points from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate - highest in its class and higher than Krug 2004 and Dom Perignon 2004.
• Champagne is on a price charge right now. Bollinger RD 1990 (the closest comparable to 2004) has risen 65% in the last 3 years!
• 2004 is an exceptional investment Champagne vintage which will be collected and prized for decades to come.
• Back vintage analysis suggests that RD 2004 will perform well. The price movement of the RD 1990 implies price appreciation of inflation + 8% CAGR over the next 14 years for RD 2004.
• A Drinking Window out to 2034 gives lots of time for price appreciation.

2 Jul 2018

• Opus One is a joint-venture between Robert Mondavi and Bordeaux’s Baron Philippe de Rothschild (of Château Mouton-Rothschild).
• Opus One has become a major collectable wine around the world, with excellent historical performance.
• Opus One is not efficiently priced by the market at the moment. Its Price / Score curve slopes downwards, with a low r2. This creates a buying opportunity in the 2013 and 2014 wines, which the graph shows to be significantly undervalued versus older vintages.
• Opus One 2013 scores 100 points from James Suckling, the first Opus One to receive a perfect score. Fair Value is around HK$21,250/6, giving upside of over 27%.
• Opus One 2014 scores 97 points. This is the second highest score achieved by Opus. Fair Value is around HK$18,850/6, offering a return of 21%.

MONTROSE 2014 - 97 Points from James Suckling, Vinous and Decanter! | 2014 is the vintage on everybody's lips these days..

26 Jun 2018

VIETTI 2014 Up to 98 Points (AG) From £120 /CS | 'A wine of laser-like focus that will leave Barolo lovers weak in the knees'

26 Jun 2018

DIAMONDS IN THE ASHES: 7 Best Picks from Bordeaux En Primeur 2017 - Analysis based on Regression Curves of Most Undervalued Wines

• The Bordeaux 2017 en primeur campaign was patchy. Sensibly priced wines sold well, but aggressively priced names were rejected by collectors who are ever more aware of secondary market pricing.
• With almost all 2017 wines now released, we have analysed the market to identify the ‘must buys’ of 2017. We have uncovered 7 wines which were released at significant discounts to our new ‘fair value’ calculation.
• We are recommending Lafite, Lynch Bages, Montrose, La Mondotte, Leoville Barton, Beychevelle and Talbot as representing the best value of the 376 wines we analysed.
• The best price performances are likely to come from Lafite, La Mondotte and Beychevelle.
• The analysis below uses our new ‘Value Comparison’ graphs which are now available on all product pages under the tab “Value Comparison”.

11 Jun 2018

In recent note recommending the 100 point RP Haut-Brion 2015, we presented analysis showing how we expected the 2015 to perform given where the 100 point Haut-Brion 1989 was currently trading. That note, published on 21st May 2018, used £19,000 as the Market Price for Haut-Brion 1989. But at the end of last week the 1989 traded up to £25,000 for 12x75cl on the Liv-ex exchange - a rise of 32% in just two weeks. Based on the new current price (£25,000) for Haut-Brion 1989 we are revising up our Target Price for Haut-Brion 2015 to £21,500 (6x75cl) in 2044 (when the 2015 will be as old as the 1989 is now). The expected total CAGR is now projected for Haut-Brion 2015 is now projected to be 8.23%.
We re-iterate our Strong Buy recommendation on Haut-Brion 2015 around the £2,700-2,800 level (6x75cl) IB.

NEW RELEASE: Troplong Mondot 2017 95-98 (AG) £432 /cs | 'Easily one of the wines of the vintage'

8 Jun 2018

8 Jun 2018

NEW RELEASE: Cos d'Estournel 2017 97-100pts (WA) £654 IB /cs | One of the Top 3 Wines of the Vintage

A purer, more translucent colour than usual. Very forward nose with bright black fruit, a touch of spice and elegant complexity. Very pure aromatics. The palate is exceeding engaging, thick and yet still fresh. Classic Cabernet aromas and flavours dominate throughout. A fine representation of the vintage, especially following on from the 16. No frost damage at all, Cos is on great form in 2017.

25 May 2018

• Le Clarence de Haut-Brion 2015 is the 2nd wine of Haut-Brion. It is the highest ever scoring Clarence (93+).
• We are recommending it because it is undervalued versus the other 2015 First Growth second wines, and because we believe it will appreciate with the 100-point Haut-Brion 2015 over time.
• Le Clarence 2015 is 50% cheaper than the other First Growth second wines from 2015, despite having a higher score and a much better scored first wine.
• Drinking window for Le Clarence de Haut-Brion 2015 is to 2039, making it a long-dated investment wine.
• We believe it can appreciate for 20 years at almost 6%, to reach HK$18,800 at the end of its drinking window in 2039.

23 May 2018

• Penfolds Grange 2013 is only the third Grange ever to score 100 points from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.
• We are recommending Penfolds Grange 2013 as a long-term holding based on its: 1) excellent track record which promises at least a 4.1% real terms increase for 40 years, 2) the discount to comparable Bordeaux wines and 3) the extremely long drinking (i.e. price appreciation) window to 2057.

22 May 2018

• Haut-Brion 2015 is the cheapest 100-point First Growth in the World. But Haut-Brion 1989 (also 100 points) is one of the more expensive.
• Analysing the ‘forward curve’ for Haut-Brion 100-point wines shows a steady 5% annual return after inflation for almost 30 years.
• 30-Year US Treasury inflation protected bonds only yield 0.97%. UK equities have only returned 3.2% over the past 20 years.
• Drinking window for Haut-Brion 2015 is to 2075!

2 May 2018

40 vintages from one of the world's most iconic, storied wineries. Offered directly from the cellars of Chateau Musar itself, each wine comes with immaculate provenance and has been subjected to rigorous quality control. Tasted, reconditioned and sold with perfect labels, capsules and levels, this is a rare chance to get hold of the most sought-after vintages with full confidence that they will arrive in peak condition.

25 Apr 2018

BORDEAUX 2017
CHÂTEAU PALMER
97-98pts | £1,175 IB per 6
Plus 92-93pts Alter Ego
17% Below 2016!
"This is a sexy and well-formed 2017... Extremely long and last for minutes."
James Suckling
"Super fresh... Mouthwatering... This stands out from the pack."
Wine Spectator
Easily one of the most well-regarded wines each year, Château Palmer is the Margaux for those in the know.
Scoring a superb 97-98 points, this is one of the best wines of the vintage, though you could pretty much say that about any Palmer release! When we tasted at the Château earlier this month we were struck by the balance, freshness and stylish finesse it showed.
With its release this morning we are happy to see that in terms of value it is as good as it gets. Releasing at a full 17% below 2016's market value, and less expensive than any top vintage on the market (see table below), this represents a rare, genuine value for blue-chip Bordeaux.
A classic top performer, with quality that regularly challenges the First Growths. Palmer is not as dear as Château Margaux, yet always receives the same range of scores; James Suckling gave a matching 97-98 points to both in 2017. You might not immediately think of Palmer as a good value wine, but that is exactly what it is!
Alongside the Grand Vin, Alter Ego de Palmer offers very good £-per-points value, scoring 92-93 points and offered at £295 IB per case. The 2017 is, as Suckling puts it, "a serious second wine" and we are of the opinion that its freshness and clarity make it one of the best Alter Egos of the past decade.
Always a popular second wine, it will age as well or better than many a Grand Vin. There is a lot to like about this vintage, being described as "rich and very deep" as well as "layered and flavourful".
The 2017 edition of Palmer and its magnificent second wine is one of the best tandem performances of 2017, and as you can expect, it is bound to sell quickly!

Barolo legend Aldo Conterno | The 'thrilling' 2014 vintage release

19 Apr 2018

Bibi Graetz Testamatta 2015 | 'One of the most original expressions of Sangiovese' James Suckling

19 Apr 2018

TIGNANELLO 2015: TIG TICKS ALL THE BOXES

• Antinori is Italy’s most prestigious and recognised fine wine producer (Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate) and Tignanello is the first and original “Super Tuscan”.
• 2015 is the highest ever score for Tignanello: 98pts from James Suckling.
• Mature, but lesser, vintages trade at significant premiums to the 2015: 2006 is 73% higher, 2004 is 103% higher. Plenty of price appreciation potential.

21 Mar 2018

• Italy’s Antinori makes Tignanello and Solaia – two of the most celebrated ‘Super Tuscan’ wines.
• Guado al Tasso – another Antinori ‘Super Tuscan’ from the prestigious Bolgheri DOC - is poised to outperform in price terms as its relative undervaluation becomes more obvious.
• Guado al Tasso 2013 is one of the best ever vintages made of this wine and should be much closer in price to other top ‘Super Tuscans’.

12 Mar 2018

NICOLAS CATENA ZAPATA 2013 | Could it be the Next Almaviva / Sena?

• Our clients have made good returns recently in South American names like Almaviva and Seña.
• We believe that the next South American top wine to take off could be Nicolás Catena Zapata.
• Nicolás Catena Zapata has all the attributes we require in an investment wine.
• Almaviva and Seña current vintages trade at a 100% premium to Nicolás Catena Zapata 2013, offering lots of scope for price ‘catch up’.

11 Mar 2018

The Laird is the top wine by Torbreck, one of the most prestigious and highest priced wines from the whole of the New World.

The 2012 joins the 2008 and 2005 in scoring a perfect 100 points from Robert Parker. The 2005 and 2008 are almost impossible to buy anywhere in the world now. With a Drinking Window until 2039, this wine has over two more decades of improvement and price appreciation potential in the bottle. The Laird scores AA as an Investment Rating from Cru. Only one notch below the best possible AAA rating for long-term investment potential.

"Deep garnet colored with a touch of remaining purple at the rim, the 2012 The Laird is one of those wines you could just go on smelling all day. It opens with a complex perfume of kirsch, dried mulberries, blackberry tart and spice cake over cloves, mocha, dusty earth, incense, star anise, yeast extract and aged beef. The full-bodied palate is drop-dead seductive, unfurling in the mouth to reveal exotic spice, meat, earth and berry preserves layers, supported by firm, velvety tannins and seamless acid. The finish seems to go on forever - and this is exactly what you want it to do. Stunning."

8 Mar 2018

* 2015 is establishing a reputation as a long-term "investment" vintage which will reward patient holders with price appreciation. There is little doubt that it is the best Bordeaux vintage since 2010. There is no question that wines from this vintage will improve and develop complexity over many decades to come.

* Chateau Pontet-Canet has achieved phenomenal things in the last decade. The 100 point scores achieved by its 2009 and 2010 vintages from Robert Parker moved this estate into the premier league of famed Bordeaux estates. The 100 point 2009 and 2010 wines are now impossible to buy much below £800 per 6 in the UK. Although not achieving quite the same perfect score, the 2015 is the closest thing to those legendary efforts and is available (temporarily) for a little over half the price.

* Our price of £450 is the lowest available in the United Kingdom right now. We have only 42 cases (6x75cl) for the world at this price and we do not expect them to remain unsold for long.

*As global attention focuses ever more on the "impeccable reputation" (as Robert Parker describes it) of this estate it seems very unlikely that prices are going to remain at the current undervalued level for much longer. Whether for drinking or collection, we strongly recommend buying the 2013 at current prices.

* Robert Parker writes of the 2013:

The 2013 Brunello di Montalcino lives up to the impeccable reputation garnered by this estate over the years. This is a profound and beautifully rendered Sangiovese that delivers bold and luscious fruit quality with black cherry and spicy plum at the start. The bouquet follows through with mild oak notes of smoke, tar and toasted nut. There is another aromatic component that includes crushed stone and dried herb or mint. This Brunello shows elegant evolution in the glass and promises a very long aging future ahead. Some 200,000 bottles were made, so it should be easy to locate this excellent wine.

3 Mar 2018

50 years on, it doesn't get any better than 1968 Taylor's Single Harvest Very Old Tawny Port!

* For anyone celebrating a fiftieth birthday this year, they may be aware that 1968 was no great shakes as a vintage. According to Michael Broadbent, Bordeaux was ‘atrocious’, Burgundy and the Rhone were ‘poor’ (the Hospices de Beaune auction was cancelled) and Champagne doesn’t even get a mention. Port, Madeira (or perhaps California) are just about the only places where 1968 was not a complete write-off, it might seem.

* There is hope yet for salvaging this vintage though as Taylor’s have since acquired a fabulous stock of old cask-aged wine including colheitas or ‘harvest’ wines (effectively dated tawnies), some dating back to the nineteenth century. Tawny Port is a wonderfully misunderstood phenomenon that benefits from being both knock-out brilliant and undervalued. Crucially, these wines have been well cared for in the interim and are being bottled in limited quantities to celebrate important anniversaries.

* We are delighted to offer the new release of Taylor’s 1968 Very Old Single Harvest Port, which has understandably been selling out very quickly after release due to its strictly limited volumes. This is a fantastic opportunity to offer the fifth in this series of very special 50 year old ports.

2 Mar 2018

New and Unusual Release: Historical XIXth Century 2014 from Chateau Palmer | 4 Cases Left

* Prior to the establishment of the AOC system which regulates wine production in France today, there once existed a wine known as a "Bordeaux Hermitage". When Thomas Duroux, the Director of Château Palmer had the opportunity to try one of these historic treasures, he was inspired to revitalize this tradition by blending wine from the Palmer vineyards located on the rises of the Margaux appellation with a small measure of grapes from the northern Côtes du Rhône. The result is something truly one of kind, which explains why these very limited releases are so highly coveted by wine lovers eager to own a piece of history.

* According to French wine regulations today, a wine which is blended from different regions loses its geographic origin as well as its vintage, which makes the Historical XIXth Century 2014 possibly one of the most exciting "table wines" in the world!

1 Mar 2018

* Antiquarian is a unique project from South Australia that in the few years since it's been operating has garnered tons of praise and attention.

* Recently taking home a GOLD MEDAL at the China Wine & Spirits Awards in the category of Best Value, these are no-brainers for bargain-hunters, as well as for those looking for a more thoughtful style of wine.

* That is exactly why Jancis Robinson is a big fan, regularly awarding high scores well above her average for these esoteric blends, describing them as "wines to spend time with".

* The "utterly gorgeous" Pinot Noir-Shiraz earned 18/20 points from Robinson, while the last vintage of the White Field Blend received 94 points from Decanter. The recently released 2017 is yet to be scored, but our expectations are high.

* These are cerebral wines that surprise, engage and completely enthral with their unique set of aromas and texture. If you are looking for a departure from the Australian norm, here it is!

15 Feb 2018

Rhône's Answer to DRC...Up to 100pt E. Guigal La-La's

15 Feb 2018

VEGA SICILIA UNICO 2006 | WA 98pt Score Confirmed. Last cases

Vega Sicilia is Spain’s most prestigious and recognised fine wine producer.
Unico averages 6.7% CAGR for the previous 15 releases, rising to an average 8.4% after 10 years.
Unico 2006 is a hotly anticipated release, scoring its joint highest ever score of 100 points (James Suckling)
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate has just released a 98 score, the second highest ever score for Unico.

8 Feb 2018

99pt Upgrade for 'Best Ever' Galatrona | £300 (6x75cl)

Upon release last year this 100% Merlot beauty was awarded a highly-respectable 96-97 points, and was snapped up by savvy buyers recognising the immense value of this rising Tuscan power-hitter.

Just upgraded to a near-perfect 99 points, when re-tasted in bottle, but so far it’s only jumped £20 on release price to £300 IB per case, accentuating it as a top buy right now, before the buying frenzy hikes up the price.

6 Feb 2018

First Offers from "Awesome Vintage" of Northern Rhône 2016

Following the hype of the 2015 vintage was always going to be challenging, but 2016 is another brilliant vintage for the region.
The Northern Rhône had a "terrific" year with the appellations of Cornas, Hermitage and Saint-Joseph making some truly magnificent wines.
Rhône authority Jeb Dunnuck (previous Rhône critic for Wine Advocate), commends 2016 for its "classic characters, beautiful balance, and terrific purity of fruit, all of which will be loved by the traditionalists out there".
Regional powerhouses Vincent Paris in Cornas, Rostaing in Côte-Rôtie and Ferraton in Hermitage are at the top of their game, producing structured wines with sweet tannins. 2016 is all about purity and elegance, and their delightful rounded style makes them much more approachable earlier on than their 2015 predecessors.
Amidst the Burgundy buzz at this time of year, these superb Northern Rhônes are a relative bargain compared to the often mega-expensive 1ers and Grands Crus of the Côte d'Or.

5 Feb 2018

OPUS ONE 2014 | One of the New World’s Best Performing Wines

• Opus One is one of California’s very top fine wines. The 2014 vintage is one of the best 5 vintages of the last 35 vintages released, according to critics.
• Opus One 2014 is the lowest priced of any Opus vintage.
• Opus One has seen an average Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 17.2% from 2001-2014 (buying on release and holding until now).
• Opus One is a winery with momentum; quality is improving year on year and global demand is rising.

1 Feb 2018

BOLLINGER “RD” 2002 | Buy 2002 ahead of release of 2004

Bollinger is a historic Champagne house and one of the top five major Champagnes producers in the world. 2002 was one of the best vintages in Champagne in the last 30 years. It will be an iconic year for decades to come. Bollinger “RD” 2002 gets its highest ever score for this wine: 99 points from James Suckling. “RD” 2002 is significantly undervalued. Buy ahead of the release of the 2004 in the coming months.

22 Jan 2018

GUIDE TO Fine Wine Portfolio Management

18 Jan 2018

LAFITE-ROTHSCHILD 2014 | The Most Attractive Current Lafite

Château Lafite-Rothschild remains the world’s premier fine wine investment, combining global appeal with excellent liquidity.
Lafite-Rothschild topped Liv-ex’s ‘Power 100’ list in 2017 for the second year running.
We recommend Lafite 2014 as the best current vintage for new investors.
Offered at £4,900 (12x75cl), and rated 95 points, it offers the best price / quality ratio of any recent vintage.

17 Jan 2018

VIEUX TELEGRAPHE CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2016

2016 is one of the top four scoring vintages in the Southern Rhöne in the last 30 years and one of the best ever produced from Châteauneufdu-Pape.
Vieux Télégraphe produced a stunning wine in 2016, achieving its highest ever score (96-98) from Jeb Dunnuck.
VT 2016 is trading at a 45% discount to the similarly scored VT 2010, and at deep discount to comparable 2016 CNDPs.
Cru has the lowest global price for VT 2016.

31 Dec 2017

CHATEAU BRANE-CANTENAC 2016 – Still Playing ‘Catch Up’

Brane-Cantenac 2016 is one of the top 30 scored wines from 2016, and yet is the cheapest of them all.
Brane-Cantenac has been performing extremely well in the secondary market in the last two years as quality has improved at the château.
We expect its price to converge with other similarly scored Second Growth wines like Cos d’Estournel, Leoville las Cases, and the Pichons.

19 Dec 2017

TAITTINGER COMTES CHAMPAGNE 2006

Taittinger ‘Comtes de Champagne’ is one of the world’s top Champagnes.
Comtes 2002 has outperformed comparable 2002
Champagnes by a wide margin since release.
Comtes 2006 is selling at much too great a discount to the other great vintage of the last decade (2002).
Comtes 2006 should get a price bounce when the next vintage is released in mid-2018.
12-month price target is £645. Upside is +55%.

MODEL FINE WINE PORTFOLIO FOR UK INVESTORS

1 Dec 2017

HOW TO DIGITALLY DOWNSIZE YOUR WINE CELLAR - Article FT November 2017

The postwar baby boomer generation was central to the success of Simon Farr’s first fine wine business, retailer Bibendum.
Thirty-five years after he co-founded it, his new venture, Cru, is helping this same generation to digitally downsize the cellars they amassed during the good years.

30 Nov 2017

LOUIS ROEDERER CRISTAL 2009 | Buy Ahead of New Vintage Release

Cristal is one of the world’s most prestigious Champagnes. Historic price performance is excellent.
Cristal 2009 is significantly undervalued versus all other Cristal vintages.
When the next vintage (2008) is released in 2018 we expect 2009 to revalue upwards in price (significantly).
12-15 month price target is £850. Upside is +31%.

17 Nov 2017

Cru is one of the world’s leading fine wine retailers. We have experts working across the globe serving customers in over 40 different countries. We operate from four major hubs in London, Hong Kong, Bordeaux and Singapore, from which we offer advice and impeccable service through both traditional and digital channels. We are very focused on using technology to make the experience of fine wine buying more fun and convenient.

Cru is a specialist retailer. We source only the world’s very best wines and spirits and sell to a limited number of discerning buyers. We hold numerous events through which we showcase our wines and get to know our clients even better. We store a significant amount of wine for our clients and offer guidance on wine portfolio construction.

Cru offers an internationally acclaimed selection of red wine, white wine and Champagne. We help customers around the world buy wine from Bordeaux, Burgundy, Italy, Spain, the Loire and Rhone Valley and from the New World.

Cru was formally launched in 2014, but our roots as a fine wine team go back to the early 1980s in the UK, and back to 2010 in Hong Kong.

Our Chairman is Mr Simon Farr: a hugely respected 40 year wine industry veteran who was involved in the founding and growth of two of Britain's most successful wine enterprises (Majestic and Bibendum).